2023 Job Aid – What You Need to Know about GAD 2 Questions & Scoring


Best 2023 Guide about GAD 2 and How to Use the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2 Assessment

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Anxiety impacts about 30% of adults. However, it is estimated that this number can be as high as 50% because most anxiety disorders are not diagnosed. In addition, out of the 30% that are diagnosed, only one-third of these individuals will ever end up receiving treatment, and this is based on various factors – financial, society stigma, family issues, and more.

The first step to treating anxiety is detection, and anxiety screening tests like the GAD 2 questionnaire provide clinicians with a fast, effective, and reliable way to screen people for anxiety that only takes a few minutes. The generalized anxiety disorder-2 (GAD-2) assessment was created to address a global problem with anxiety going untreated in a majority of those with anxiety symptoms.

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GAD2 Anxiety Assessment

The GAD-2 score indicates whether the individual shows symptoms of anxiety and if so, further steps can be taken. This test, developed by Pfizer and its research partners (Spitzer, Kroenke, et al.) helps reduce rates of untreated anxiety.

The GAD 2 test can be self-administered, and it takes just a few minutes for primary care physicians, social workers, emergency room staff, and others to identify anxiety warning signs.

This overview of the GAD-2 questions and scoring will help you understand how the GAD 2 is used, the difference between the GAD 2 and GAD 7, and what next steps are indicated from the GAD 2 score.

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See Also: PHQ-2 Scoring and Assessment Guide


Table of Contents: GAD 2 Scoring & Questions

Keep on scrolling down this page to read each section or click any link below to go directly to that section.

  1. What Is the GAD-2 Questionnaire?
    1. How Does the GAD-2 Test Work?
  2. What Is the Difference Between the GAD 2 and GAD 7?
    1. In Which Test are PHQ 2 and GAD 2 Used?
  3. What Are the Two GAD 2 Questions?
  4. GAD 2 Score Guide
  5. Who Should Be Screened for Anxiety?
  6. Conclusion | Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2
  7. FAQ | Rapid Anxiety Screening with Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2)

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What Is the GAD-2 Questionnaire? Why is it Important?

The GAD-2 questionnaire is a 2-question rapid screening test to identify symptoms of anxiety. It’s designed to be used as a preliminary test for the GAD-7, which is a slightly more extensive 7-question anxiety survey.

The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 assessment can be used in time-limited situations, such as a busy doctor’s office, clinic, or urgent care facility. These are situations where there may not be time to conduct a more thorough anxiety screening for everyone.

Since the GAD2 anxiety screening can be self-administered or asked as just a couple of questions, it lends itself to time-sensitive environments and gives medical professionals the ability to assess more people.

How Does the GAD-2 Test Work?

The GAD2 anxiety test consists of two questions. One of the reasons that this anxiety assessment is considered very reliable is that the questions are based on the diagnostic criteria for anxiety laid out in the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, version 4).

The GAD 2 scale is scored on the way that the individual answers the two questions. The questions are about symptoms of anxiety, and the respondent is asked to choose from four options how often they’ve experienced that issue within the last 2 weeks.

The four answer options in the GAD 2 scoring are:

  • Not at all (scores as 0)
  • Several days (scores as 1)
  • More than half the days (scores as 2)
  • Nearly every day (scores as 3)

The GAD-2 scoring range for the test is between 0 and 6.

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What Is the Difference Between the GAD 2 and GAD 7?

The GAD-2 and GAD-7 are closely related. The GAD2 anxiety screener consists of the first two questions only from the GAD-7 full anxiety questionnaire, which has seven questions.

The way the two work together is that the GAD 2 test can be given as a preliminary screening. Then, if the GAD 2 score flags anxiety symptoms, the next step is generally to give the GAD 7 to learn more about the severity of the anxiety.

In Which Test are PHQ 2 and GAD 2 Used?

The GAD2 scoring for anxiety is used in another test. The PHQ-4 is a four-question screening for both depression and anxiety. The four questions come from the GAD 2 questions and the PHQ 2 questions. Each of those assessments has two questions, for a total of four when used together as a PHQ 2 GAD 2 test.

The PHQ-2 is a rapid screening for depression and is similar in framework and scoring to the GAD-2 questionnaire.

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What Are the Two GAD 2 Questions?

As noted above, the individual taking the GAD2 anxiety test is asked to indicate how often over the last 2 weeks they have been bothered by the following problems.

The two GAD-2 questions list key problems associated with anxiety:

  1. Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge
  2. Not being able to stop or control worrying

The more often the individual has experienced these symptoms, the higher the score. For example, choosing “Not at all” gives a 0 score, “Several days” gives a 1, “More than half the days” counts as a 2, and choosing “Nearly every day” scores a 3.

This is where the simple multiple-choice format comes into play and makes it very easy to calculate GAD 2 scoring.

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Read More: What You Need to Know about The GAD 7 Anxiety Test


Do you have any questions about the GAD-2 scale or the generalized anxiety disorder 2 questions? Click here to contact the Social Work Portal Team.


GAD 2 Score Guide and Process

How do you read the GAD-2 score and determine if any next steps are needed?

Here are the GAD-2 scoring recommendations:

  • A score of 0-2: No further steps are needed
  • A score of 3-6: It’s recommended to give the GAD-7 assessment because potential anxiety symptoms are present

So, any GAD 2 score of 3 or higher indicates the need to assess the individual further for generalized anxiety disorder.

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Related: Guide for General Anxiety Disorder (GAD)


Are you looking for social work assessment tools, like a GAD 2 and GAD 7 PDF or a PHQ-9 depression assessment? Click here to contact the Social Work Portal Team.


Who Should Be Screened for Anxiety?

In light of the mental health problems being researched due to the use of social media and the algorithms behind sites like YouTube, anxiety has been in the spotlight for all age groups.

Here are recommendations from two organizations for anxiety screening with tools like the GAD 2 scale questionnaire:

  • The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends anxiety screening in children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years, as well as in adults aged 64 years or younger.
  • The Women’s Preventive Services Initiative recommends anxiety screening for women and adolescent girls aged 13 years or older.

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Conclusion | Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2

The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2) assessment is a vital tool in many healthcare situations as a rapid anxiety screener. It allows a higher quality of care without taking up a lot of additional time.

The GAD 2 and GAD 7 work together to assist medical and mental health professionals with life-changing diagnoses and are an important part of a social worker’s toolbox of assessments.

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FAQ | Rapid Anxiety Screening with Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2)

What does GAD-2 mean?

GAD-2 stands for Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2. It is a rapid two-question screening to identify signs of anxiety disorder.

What is the difference between GAD 2 and GAD 7?

The GAD-2 and GAD-7 are closely related. The GAD2 anxiety screener consists of the first two questions only from the GAD-7 full anxiety questionnaire, which has seven questions.

Is GAD a lifelong disorder?

It’s possible for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) to be experienced in the short term only due to stressful circumstances. However, many that have GAD experience it throughout their life as a chronic condition.

What is the GAD-2 questionnaire?

The GAD-2 questionnaire is a 2-question rapid screening test to identify symptoms of anxiety. It’s designed to be used as a preliminary test for the GAD-7, which is a slightly more extensive 7-question anxiety survey.


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